Beyond the Body: Recyclable or Reusable Auto Components

An old car, truck or SUV might look like a hunk of junk from the outside, but did you know that the majority of the parts that are found inside of vehicles can be either recycled or reused? From the engine oil that is used to keep the vehicle going to the auto glass that is used to manufacture safe car windows, a salvage yard can find new uses for old parts or recycle them in most cases. Here are just a few key components of a vehicle that can be recycled or reused.

Tires and Rims

The tires on a vehicle don’t last forever. After you’ve had them for a few years, it’s a good idea to invest in new ones so that worn tires don’t cause any issues with other parts of your vehicle or cause a safety concern. When a vehicle is totaled in a collision or accident, however, the tires are often still viable and have plenty of miles left on them. This is also often true of rims, which may not have been impacted during the accident. A salvage operation like ours will often have tons of useful tires and rims that can give your car a new set of wheels at a fraction of the cost of buying new.

Alternators and Starters

When the alternator or starter on your vehicle goes, it will be impossible for you to start up your car and drive it. However, even if an alternators or starter goes bad, it can be remanufactured to restore functionality. You can also replace a defective or worn unit with some reclaimed from a scrapped vehicle. If the damage to the vehicle was not severe, reclaimed alternators or starters are a cheaper solution that replaces the problem component entirely at a fraction of rebuilding or buying new.

Batteries

Most states across the United States have very strict recycling policies in place when it comes to vehicle batteries. That’s because car and truck batteries contain toxic chemicals that can be very harmful to the environment when spilled. Batteries are also very reusable. As Blue & Green Tomorrow notes, recycling rates are 98 percent or higher around the country. Batteries can also commonly be pulled from scrapped vehicles and find new use in another car or truck.

Water Pumps

An old, worn-out water pump that doesn’t work anymore is terrible for your engine. But, as it turns out, these are some of the most commonly rebuilt components in vehicles. Whether you need just a specific component or want to replace your water pump entirely, these units are frequently pulled from damaged or scrapped vehicles and given a new life in another car or truck.

All American Auto Salvage understands the importance of recycling and reusing car parts whenever possible, not only for the cost savings, but also for the environment. We have been in business for more than 30 years, and we specialize in selling quality parts to vehicle owners, body shops, insurance companies and more. Learn more about our inventory by giving us a call at 732-574-1945 today or search our inventory online now.